A questionable truth
by Lawlley
Summary: Hermione Granger has a few questions that only Severus Snape can answer. But who thought that he liked to play hide and seek, even with his answers.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my fellow writers and readers, this is my first story after a long time of reading and writing in general. I'm planning on updating it once a week, though I am not sure about the actual days. Anyhow, have fun! Lawlley~**

**Pairing: Hermione G. and Severus S.**

**Disclaimer: I only own my story, the rest is all in J. K. Rowling's ownership~**

** Oh and I am disregarding quite a few deaths in previous books.**

**Summary: Hermione Granger has a few questions that only Severus Snape can answer. But who thought that he liked to play hide and seek, even with his answers.**

**A questionable truth**

**Chapter one: **Infinity

She hadn't realized where her feet took her until she reached the dark side of the lake, only lit by the dim moonlight. Sighing she sat down, left her magical bag beside her and enjoyed the slow but steady summer breeze.

Hermione knew she shouldn't be out late that night, for it only was half a year ago that one of her best friends, namely Harry Potter, had succeeded in bringing down the most powerful – and in Hermione's opinion maniacal – dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. His followers were being chased, some of them having escaped their fates of going to Azkaban by fleeing and taking their families with them.

She sighed again, trying not to think about the fact that they were out there and might be waiting to strike again.

The dark figure looming in one of the damp and abandoned corridors, looking out of the window and sneering at the familiar shape sitting at that blasted lake, turned and walked back down to the dungeons.

Severus Snape wasn't one to hold grudges, but somehow he couldn't fathom why she had saved his life. He loathed her for it, the pain and humiliation not easing when he thought about that night in the Shrieking Shack and how he technically was indebted to her. No, he wouldn't let that little detail impede his judgment and turn him into one of these insolent and favouring little fools that his colleagues opted to be.

He reached his quarters, warding them securely while he made his way to his bedroom, took his clothes off and slipped into his nightwear, black traditional pyjamas.

The next morning found a very grumpy Hermione Granger, who climbed out of her bed and stretched extensively, while Crookshanks opened one eye at her, closed it lazily and went back to sleep, not minding any kind of noise his owner made. She was glad to have her own small apartment as she had been elected for the position of Prefect.

Sitting down at a small table, she scribbled a short note and took it with her down to breakfast.

Opening the doors of the Great Hall, she slipped in and watched the black robes of Professor Snape billow as he left through a door on the other side of the room. A signature sigh left her lips as she looked after him longingly, for she had so many questions and not one answer.

Making her way to the others, she purposely walked to the teachers' table, asked Professor McGonagall, the new Headmistress, a few questions about her new schedule and deliberately took slower steps to get back to Harry and Ron, who seemed absorbed with their food.

Slipping the note into a waiting recipient's pocket by acting like she had stumbled, she profusely excused herself and apologized to none other than Draco Malfoy, who hid his amused smirk and gave her a moody sneer, albeit his eyes twinkling mischievously. "I'm so sorry, Malfoy, I didn't mean to interrupt your breakfast!", she convincingly got out. He rolled his eyes in mock annoyance and lifted one eyebrow: "Watch where you go, Granger. You should borrow Potter's glasses, if you're THIS short-sighted." His remark didn't have the usual bite, but it satisfied the Slytherins and they went back to ignoring the scene.

The house animosity had cooled down a bit, but both Slytherins and Gryffindors weren't giving up the usual bickering here or hexes there.

Hermione retreated hastily to get her breakfast, sitting opposite of Harry and Ron, who both looked stuffed to the brim.

"Professor Snape?" It couldn't be. He had been trying to avoid any kind of contact since the battle was over and now she was openly asking him out? In a corridor full of students nonetheless? His fury made him thin-lipped and a few students already seemed to notice it. They backed away into classes and corridors and suddenly they were alone. To his sheer horror, he did have to politely turn around and acknowledge her presence but not without letting his face slip into a mask of annoyance and bitterness. "Yes, Miss Granger?" She seemed to have noticed the slight anger in his voice, for her saw her eyes wandering down to the ground, her lip being bitten and quiver. He watched as she appeared to think about what to say, making up her mind and shocking him with the pity he saw in the amber eyes that now looked straight into his.

"I have a question, that can only be answered by you and even if you think I am not entitled to know the answer, I wish for you to explain the details around it. I hope you can do that for me, sir." She could hear her own voice going steady in and out of breaking. She wasn't deliberately aggressive or impertinent, but she had lost her patience waiting for him to finally seek her out.

She heard him mutter a few curses under his breath and sighed again. "Very well, Miss Granger, follow me and you shall be enlightened."

**I hope you liked it so far and I am enjoying writing this little piece.**

**Reviews are much appreciated 3**


	2. Chapter 2

**A questionable truth**

**My first review... weee~ A "thank you" to "Lover of Fantasy"!**

**Since I am enjoying writing lately, I will ride on this way of creativity and post more~**

**Pairing: Hermione G. and Severus S.**

**Disclaimer: I only own my story, the rest is all in J. K. Rowling's ownership~**

** Oh and I am disregarding quite a few deaths in previous books.**

**Summary: Hermione Granger has a few questions that only Severus Snape can answer. But who thought that he liked to play hide and seek, even with his answers.**

**Chapter two: **Interlocking minds

_She heard him mutter a few curses under his breath and sighed again. "Very well, Miss Granger, follow me and you shall be enlightened."_

He had brought her to his rooms. HE had brought HER to his rooms. 'What was I thinking?' Severus' head was a complete mess, but being a spy for so long he learned not to let it show on his face. Turning to the insufferable chit, he gave her his best _You are not invited to make yourself comfortable_ look and silently spoke the password: "Alea iacta est."* He didn't even turn around to check if she followed him, while he made his way to the nearby armchair, letting himself gracefully sink down on it and waving a dismissing hand at her, so she finally take a seat across from him.

"I... err... thank you." Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, but she couldn't hide the sudden uneasiness. "I never took you for a stutterer, Miss Granger, but it seems the war has changed quite a few people." His words didn't have the usual jibe in them, as she saw in his eyes, he felt like it was a mistake to talk about the war at all. She cleared her throat and her next words came out controlled but quiet: "Professor, I want to know the truth... the truth of Professor Dumbledore's death." A sudden pained expression crossed his face but it was so fast, that she must have imagined it. 'Maybe it wasn't wise to word my question like that, but I wonder if he will give me any answer at all.'

He pondered quite a bit about the answers, giving her just enough time to grow even more anxious. 'She will be just like the others, because nobody believes a Death Eater, exonerated or not.' For the first time in his life, he was about to show somebody his memories of that night, the night that still gave him horrible nightmares. Getting up from the armchair, he made his way to the left, where a mahogany wardrobe stood, retrieving his very own Pensieve out of it and placing it on a table nearby. "You will be granted to see something, which no-one before you has seen, Miss Granger and then you shall leave this room and never return with any blasted question about that war, you understand me?" He saw her nod once, but being a know-it-all, he knew she would probably understand without even having to ask any further questions. For the first time in more than a decade of spying, Severus Snape was afraid to lift such a secret. To reveal it to none other than Hermione my-nose-has-been-in-every-book-of-this-school Granger. Putting his wand to his right temple, he got the beautiful thread out and sank it into the Pensieve, taking a few steps back and nodding at her to finally satisfy her curiosity.

Hermione thought she might faint, but she quickly strode to the table and with one more look at Severus... no, Professor Snape, she touched the liquid and got soaked into a roaring nightmare. Reliving something that she had only been told from Harry's perspective, she hadn't expected what she saw.

To say he was surprised, was a clear understatement. She was there again, but suddenly her eyes had become watery and she threw herself at him. She was EMBRACING him. For a second the only thing that he could do was standing frozen to the ground. And then it started...

**What do you think started? **

**Quite bad of me to give you such a cliffy ;c Reviews and follows are appreciated, though.**

**Lawlley~**


	3. Chapter 3

**A questionable truth**

**A new Chapter for my lovely readers. Enjoy~**

**Pairing: Hermione G. and Severus S.**

**Disclaimer: I only own my story, the rest is all in J. K. Rowling's ownership~**

** Oh and I am disregarding quite a few deaths in previous books.**

**Chapter three: **A surprise in disguise

_To say he was surprised, was a clear understatement. She was there again, but suddenly her eyes had become watery and she threw herself at him. She was EMBRACING him. For a second the only thing that he could do was standing frozen to the ground. And then it started..._

"Miss Granger?" He didn't know what to do, except to pat her back awkwardly. The look she gave him puzzled Snape. 'What exactly did I show her that she didn't back away or send me hateful looks?' His thoughts were interrupted by her smile. He had showed her that night so her quest for the truth she was seeking would finally end. What exactly had that little know-it-all seen that made her smile at him like a lunatic? He couldn't fathom why she wouldn't be angry at him. Everyone was. They loathed him and he felt their piercing gazes on him every day he was in that hell of a school.

Hermione Granger felt like an explorer, letting her deepest fears guide her in that blur of memory only to find out that her feeling hadn't betrayed her. She had come back with the truth. What kind of truth one might ask? Severus Snape, her Severus, hadn't been the cruel person he always pretended to be. The look of plight in Professor Dumbledore's face had made that clear. The Potions Master had been nothing but helpful and in the end everyone hated him for it. "P-Professor, I, uh, why haven't you told anyone?" She saw his eyebrows go up as to question what exactly she meant. "You aren't responsible for Professor Dumbledore's death, Severus." Suddenly his lips were at her left ear. "YOU, Miss Granger, are still my student, so I forbid you to use my given name."

Something in his throat rose as she called him by his first name. He didn't want that feeling to show, so he pushed it deep down again, ignoring the swelling of his heart and the pride he felt for she was the only student to ever try. Suddenly he caught her scent. Vine wood with a bit of peach. She smelled of books and sweets, his mind shutting off for a bit and letting his tongue run across her inviting earlobe. As if to regain his senses, he heard her inhale a sharp breath and shooed her out. "Off you go girl and never mention this night to anyone, especially me, ever again."

She knew a dismissal when it clearly was infront of her and hastily left his private chambers. ''Did he just do that or was it my imagination?' Wandering past a few students who looked just as baffled to see her coming from the dungeons, she didn't even pay attention to where her feet took her and when she reached the lake, a soft smile graced her lips.

She would be sure to visit him again, knowing that there was more to the truth than he had led her to believe.

**I'm sorry for this chapter is really short, but my time is rather limited ;c Reviews and follows appreciated. Lawlley~**


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